lymph node biopsy.

on thursday, my momma flew in from houston to be with me for my biopsy on friday afternoon. my doctor had assured me that it was a very easy procedure and that i'd even be able to go back to work if needbe. so when my mom offered to come in, i said sure, but that it's apparently no big deal. and she said, well it sounds like it could be a deal and i'd like to be there with you. i thought this was really nice and a good opportunity to see my mom.

friday afternoon rolled around and she came to pick me up from the office and then we went to Weiss Hospital for my procedure. my dr had originally only wanted to biopsy one lymph node, but decided to do three. he numbed the area with a shot in my three lymph nodes which was rather painful and then he stuck me with what felt like a ball point pen in those three nodes and swished the needle around. it hurt like hell. each one was worse. i can't even describe the awful pain. it was over pretty quickly, but then he pushed down the cloth over them to stop the bleeding and that hurt even more! then, he said i had a clot and had to push harder for 10 minutes or so. owie. after that, i was put in a recovery room and had to apply ice for a while and then they gave me extra strength tylenol b/c i'm not very good at codeine. it usually makes me sick.

my mom kept looking at me thinking i might throw up, but really it was just the pain that was hurting so bad. i didn't need to throw up. it was just the pain registering on my face. finally we went home and i laid down on my barcalounger (go bob and tpir!) and she covered me in blankets since it was freezing outside! and then i tried to take a short nap and eat some dinner but i felt miserable. every time i moved it hurt like hell. and so by around 9:30 i was ready to call it a night and went to bed.

the next day: my neck was still hurting like crazy, but we managed to go to target and the grocery store and then i took a nap on my mom's lap while we watched "because i said so" the diane keaton/mandy moore movie. it was great. and then we met my aunt and uncle for a vietnamese dinner which was really yummy.

on sunday: my neck was still hurting terribly (do you see a theme here?!) but we managed to go to the art supply store and get some new ready made frames for stuff that had broken in the move and go to linens n things for a few new appliances and such since i've decided i'm going to start cooking! after that, my mom had some stuff she wanted to do in my condo before leaving (ie change light bulbs and clear out some stuff from my closets that she can yardsale). and then it was time for her to go home. i was exhausted and so i took at nap. from 5 to about 830. then i groggily got up and ate dinner. and went back to bed.

monday: dr appt early this am for blood drawing and lung testing. i have a chronic "smokers" cough which i'm sure you have all heard, but i've had it for years and it just doesn't go away. they thought it might be asthma, but that doesn't seem to be the case as my lung's function normally. so now i have to go get a chest x-ray. good times. in the last couple of weeks, i've had a ct scan on my sinuses, an mri on my lymph nodes, a biopsy on my lymph nodes, a lung functioning test, blood drawn (annual exam stuff plus checking up on my thyroid levels), a chest xray to come this week, and my annual well woman pap next week. is anyone jealous yet?!?!?! oh yeah, and my neck still hurts... though the pain is fading. lucky me!